01/14/02

The new iMac internals (with pictures) : whoa!

One of our sources has sent us some pictures of the iMac G4 internals. They probably come from the Apple take apart manual. Here are the pictures:

The iMac G4 motherboard....is really round.....never saw that before... whoa....

The chassis

The iMac base

Behind the screen, the airport antennas.

Another view of the screen case.

The iMac arm

The base and its airport card.

Update: If you want to have access to the take apart manual, it is here.

Update 2 : the link does not work anymore. The manual has probably been removed

Readers comments on the Cube-iMac G4 comparison.

What is your purpose? The Cubes are gone aren't they? The G4s are now and in the future. So what is the purpose of comparing what isn't available with what is, for people who have bought neither yet, but are planning to buy soon? regards from Japan

Thomas A

Our purpose is to show that the iMac G4 and the Cube share the same technology/design and if the Cube had not been so expensive, we would probably not have that iMac G4. It does not mean that we do not like the iMac G4. We may even buy one soon....

I had to reply to your article "iMac G4 and G4 Cube : who is the winner?". The basis for any comparison has to start with price. Regardless of how similar the models may look, a machine that cost significantly more should offer significantly more. The low-end iMac costs $1300. I am pretty sure the low-end Cube cost $1600. Once you add a 15" monitor you are talking over $2000. And what do I get for my money? A slower processor, slower graphics card and less RAM. In the end, the only thing I can console myself with is, if I wanted to, I could spend significantly more money for a machine that would finally out perform the low-end iMac. I loved the design of the Cube. I desperately wanted one when it first came out, but there was no way I could justify the price. I still think it was one of the coolest machines Apple ever made. That being said, I love the design of the new iMac. I love how easily and completely adjustable the monitor is. I love what is offered without having to upgrade anything. If you could eliminate the price/performance differences I would have a hard time picking between the two (for very different reasons). But I live in the real world and price does matter - and (iMac compared to comparably configured Cube) there is no comparison, the iMac should have been the clear winner!

Albert K

Greetings from Iceland! :-) I was visiting cube-zone.com. I own a Cube myself and I wanted to ask a question. I am not sure if this is the correct email address, though. I just wanted to know if the GeForce3 ADC version works on the Cube, as was indicated in "new iMac vs. Cube" feature on cube-zone.com and if those cards are only BTO?

Stefan R

The video cards have to be BTO cards (basically cards coming from Cubes or PowerMacs G4). Two of our readers have reported, some time ago, that the GeForce 3 seems to work in the Cube. However, we have never tested that and cannot confirm it. If anybody could send us some tests, we would be happy to publich them.

01/11/02

iMac G4 and G4 Cube : who is the winner?

It seems quite odd to compare the new iMac with the G4 Cube. However, the new iMac wouldn't exist if the Cube had not been put to sleep by Apple. Both computers were designed to be a high-end iMac. They share several features. One can even say that the iMac G4 is a redesigned and upgraded Cube.

Both computers are quite similar. And if the new iMac base had not been a sphere, it could have been a Cube. They share a lot of ideas, such as the small form-factor, the flat display, the speakers. However, the iMac has a faster processor and is an all-in-one. The new iMac is a disposable computer. The Cube was a Powermac, its target was supposed to be the Pro-users. It was designed to be somewhat upgradable. On the countrary, the iMac must not be upgradable.

Let's compare them.

Despite all the complaints when the Cube came out, it is more expandable than the iMac G4. It lacks the high speed processor (but can be upgraded to a dual processor) and the Superdrive. The iMac G4 design is nice, but we still prefer the Cube.

Steve Jobs speaks about the Cube and the iMac G4

In an interview given to Reuters. Jobs said that "the Cube was targeted at low-end pros. We were just plain wrong on that. Consumers loved the Cube, but it was too expensive. The iMac G4, I think, is a more stunning design than the Cube, he said, and it is priced dramatically less". The Cube cost over $2000, with a monitor, while the new iMacs will be priced between $1299 and $1799 when they start shipping this quarter. Some analysts said the new iMac, which features the newest generation G4 processor and other top-of-the-line features, could cannibalize the top end of Apple's existing product line-up. Jobs said he "expected professionals would stick to the more powerful and expandable Power Mac towers -- just as they had when offered the Cube".

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